In church we talk about surrendering our lives to God.
Think about that word, surrender.
That’s a warfare word.
Surrender means you were enemies, but now you admit defeat.
The other party won. They are stronger, mightier.
You fought them for as long as you could.
You tried to do things your way. You tried to win the battle on your own.
We were enemies to God, and now we give up the fight and admit His way is better than our way. And his Lordship is better than our agenda. And his sovereignty is better than our “agency.”
“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds.” (Col 1:21)
“The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God” (Romans 8:7)
“The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God” (James 4:4)
We were slaves to sin, but now we turn ourselves in as a prisoner of war, or to whatever ends God wants with us.
We belong to Him now.
“Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey —whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
…Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness
…you were slaves to sin…But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:16-23)
John MacArthur has a wonderful chapter about becoming slaves to Jesus in his book Only Jesus.
Slavery in the correct word, in case that word offends you.
And if we aren’t ready to be slaves, then we need to continue on life’s path until we reach full surrender.
It’s a process.
Life will break you down.
And that’s exactly why life is designed that way! 😉
All I Possess 